Let's visit about creep feeding. With the exception of pasture lambing creep feeding is absolutely essential to a successful program. Lambs learn at an early age to eat with the ewes, develop a taste for what the ewe is fed and want the security of mom around, so the location of creep is important. Ideally, it should be in the center of their area and well lighted, back in a dark corner doesn’t work.
Rations can be a mini sized pellet or a texturized ration of corn and soybean meal or a combination of pellet and cracked corn. Big Gain, who has dealers in Minnesota, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Iowa has an 18% product. A mini pellet combined with cracked corn that I found superior to any other choice out there. It is very palatable and in my operation, I am eliminating the 16% grower ration and offering it alongside the 13% pellet whole corn ration with free choice alfalfa hay until they convert totally to the 13% ration.
Some shepherds will mix cracked corn and soybean oil meal 50/50 to get lambs started. Deccox needs to be added to creep feeds at the rate of two and a half pounds of 6.6% Deccox per ton. At this rate, it is a supplement and can be decreased in other rations so that in finishing rations half a pound is adequate. Deccox only works early in the coccidiosis cycle and you need adequate consumption. That explains why some of the best lambs on heavy milking ewes are the first to show clinical signs of coccidiosis.
Clean, fresh water is essential along with the best quality hay available. Offer grain ration in small amounts to start and keep it clean and fresh. A dirty, stale, creep feed isn’t palatable and lambs will refuse to eat it. Feed the old feed to the ewes.
By: Dr. G.F. Kennedy
